The annual exodus of hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis heading home for Eid celebrations has taken a devastating turn, with at least 40 people killed and nearly 70 others injured in road accidents across 14 districts since last Thursday. In one of the most harrowing incidents in Tangail, a truck laden with iron rods overturned early Monday morning, killing 15 people who were riding atop the load. Police believe the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel, causing the tragedy as workers and hawkers made their way to their home villages. Meanwhile, a separate collision on Sunday saw a mail train strike a bus at a level crossing, dragging the vehicle for a kilometer and leaving 12 dead and 18 injured.

These accidents underscore the chronic safety issues plaguing the country’s transit infrastructure during peak holiday travel. Authorities have highlighted dangerous bottlenecks on major routes like the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, where illegal structures and unregulated vehicle stops frequently cause chaos. The situation has been further exacerbated by heavy rains and civil unrest, including protests by garment workers over unpaid wages, which have brought traffic on key arteries to a standstill. As commuters face grueling journeys—with some short trips taking several hours—the combination of poor road conditions and immense traffic volume has turned the festive season into a time of mourning for many families.